There has been a growing interest in the manufacture and use of microfluidic systems for the acquisition of chemical and biological information. Microfluidic systems include devices with features having dimensions on the order of nanometers to 100s of microns, which cooperate to perform various desired functions. For example, micro fluidic devices can be adapted to perform material analysis and manipulation functions, such as chemical, biological and/or physical analyses. Many microfluidic systems have the advantages of increased response time, smaller required sample volumes, and lower reagent consumption. When hazardous materials are used or generated, performing reactions in microfluidic volumes may also enhance safety and reduces disposal quantities.
In some cases, microfluidic cartridges are used in conjunction with a cartridge reader. The cartridge reader may, for example, provide support functions to the microfluidic cartridge. In some cases, for example, the cartridge reader may provide electrical control signals, light beams and/or light detectors, pneumatic control pressures or flows, electric flow drive signals or fields, signal processing, and/or other support functions.
Many microfluidic cartridges include one or more reservoirs, flow channels, valves, pumps, and/or other structures that need to operate in concert to achieve a desired material analysis and/or manipulation function, such as chemical, biological and/or physical analyses. In some cases, specific timing protocols are developed to help ensure that the various operations of the microfluidic cartridge are carried out in the proper order and/or at the proper time. Developing such timing protocols can be a difficult and time consuming process.
In addition, many microfluidic cartridges are manufactured from plastic laminates or molded parts, which can help reduce the size, cost and complexity of the microfluidic cartridge. However, while such manufacturing techniques may provide inexpensive parts, they are typically less dimensionally precise and repeatable, with asymmetrical dimensions and wider tolerance cross-sections. These process variations may produce variations in fluid flows, component performance, etc., from cartridge to cartridge—which can degrade the performance of any timing protocols that are developed in advance for a particular class of microfluidic cartridges.